Cosmos Tteokbokki Rice Crackers: Korean spicy and sweet rice crackers shaped like rigatoni, with the exact opposite texture of the typically soft and chewy cylindrical rice cakes. Tastes of fermented gochujang chili paste, which is a staple in most Korean cooking so will taste familiar if you enjoy eating Korean stews. More sweet than savory but has a mildly spicy aftertaste. This is the second brand I've tried from HMart, and they seem pretty much interchangeable but both delicious. 4.0/5.0

Sanko Sweet Rice Cracker: On my last trip to Hong Kong Supermarket, I felt nostalgic for the iced rice crackers I had growing up but decided to try a different brand than normal. Unfortunately, the Hot Kid Want Want Shelly Senbei crackers are much better than this one from Sanko. The Sanko rice crackers are saltier and not as crunchy, so the balance of the salty cracker with the sweet icing is not quite right. Definitely an example where sticking to the classic would have been the better choice. 3.0/5.0

Morgenstern's Ginger Grapenut, Raspberry Cheesecake, and Mango Passion Rice Ice Cream: Morgenstern's, my favorite ice cream spot in NYC, has opened up an expansive shop at 88 West Houston, with an overwhelming number of flavors organized into categories like parlor favorites (including salt n' pepper pinenut and American egg), Bananas (including charred chocolate banana and banana kalamansi), and Misc (french fry, bread, and popcorn). I love options, but the menu is intimidating, even for me. This time, we tried three different scoops from three different categories. The gi... (read more)3.5/5.0

Befco Scallop bakauke rice crackers: Shaped like mini boomerangs, these individually wrapped pairs of Japanese rice crackers come in a variety of flavors. This time, I purchased their scallop version from Sunrise Market in NYC, which was about $0.25 more expensive than their classic soy variety. The scallop crackers have a very strong salty and briny flavor that I wouldn’t necessarily identify with scallop but tastes of seafood more generally. It has a strong odor I couldn’t quite place until I suddenly realized they smelled ki... (read more)2.5/5.0

Befco Kuriyama Bakauke Sesame rice crackers: Shaped vaguely like miniature banana or oblong boomerangs, these soy flavored rice crackers were purchased for under $3 from Sunrise Market in Manhattan. Each piece is individually wrapped and is just on the verge of being overseasoned, yet also has a sweet aftertaste. Pretty good overall, but probably not good enough to purchase again. 3.0/5.0